Dublin City Exiles
 | |
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Dublin City Exiles RLFC |
| Website | dublincityexiles.com |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Current details | |
| Competition | Irish Elite League (Leinster Conference) |
The Dublin City Exiles are an Irish rugby league team from Dublin, Ireland. The Exiles play in the Leinster Conference of the Irish Elite League. They play their home games at Lakelands Park in Terenure.
History
The Dublin City Exiles were formed in 2000 when a few Australian guys based in Ireland decided to compete in the local RLI competition. The first season in 2001 saw the team training in the Phoenix Park, the instigator of the movement was Ben Rigby (ZUU & Ankorr) an effervescent front rower. Other key people in this movement were Marty Burke, Mick Snell, Harley Maraki, Scott Griggs, Steve Szpara, Nick Bright and Carl Monopoli. The season was the first RLI season and the Exiles got to the final and were robbed in Cork in a keenly contested final. Many team members were offered Irish Residents jerseys.
In 2002 the Exiles developed the player base with some valuable new additions that would prove key to the Exiles and the RLI Wolfhounds amateur team. Brett Maron joined as coach and with him came Marty Hyde and Phil Coles. These would steer the team for the next three years. Players from Terenure RFC joined the team. The Exiles won their first league title that year.
In 2003 the core players were still together and the new recruits from Terenure and other union players were starting to make the game their own. Players like John Sharpe, Mickey Martin, Carl Roche and Brian O'Brien were regular first choices in the Exiles and Wolfhounds team and the Wolfhounds were managed by Brett with Marty and Phil helping out. The quality in the competition had also improved but again the Blues and the Exiles reached the final with another closely fought game which the Exiles came out on top. This was the Exiles second title in 2 years
2004 saw a transition for the Exiles. Brett, Marty, Alan and Mal McGivern all left the team to return home. Steve Szpara and Mickey Martin retired and Phil Coles managed the team, starting as manager but returning to the starting team early into the season. The new players replacing the 'old warhorses' were new to league and took time to bed in. The RLI competition saw other teams improve ingreat strides and the Exiles finished a disappointing 9th. Although disappointed, there were reasons to be optimistic. The club had moved from Westmanstown to Terenure.
2005 saw Richard Egan take over coaching from Phil Coles who returned to Australia. Karl McDonagh was now managing the teams off field activities. The core players from 2004 were still together and experience from the previous year brought the team success. New additions like Steve Scanlan (Leeds Rhinos), Steve Nolan, Dave Whelan and Jimmy Morrison (Australia) were brought in. The Wolfhound A team was now drawn from all clubs in the competition, a competition that had improved immeasurably. Caps for Steve Nolan and Carl Roche were justly deserved and the Leinster team also contained Jimmy Morrison, Steve Scanlan and the Wolfhound representatives. A 3rd place finish in Leinster meant that the Exiles would not reach the final.
The Exiles finished in the top for the next 4 years and gained a place in the semis, the side however failed to win another League title.
Honours
- Irish Elite League (2): 2002 & 2003